The World Health Organization on the occasion of World Cancer Day called on countries in South-East Asia Region to prioritize measures to reduce risk, detect and diagnose early and care for people suffering from the disease. WHO also noted the increasing burden of cancer despite 30% to 50% of the cases being preventable.
Talking about the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization said that this disease has disrupted the delivery of cancer care services including palliative care. This has further exposed the vulnerabilities of people living with cancers and increased the risk of severe disease and death.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region said that this is the time when we need to urgently address these gaps.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide with nearly 10 million deaths reported in 2020. The WHO South-East Asia Region reported an estimated 2.2 million new cases and 1.4 million cancer-related deaths the same year – which accounted for more than 1 in 10 deaths in the Region. Among cancer deaths, lung cancer accounted for 10.6% of deaths, breast cancer 9.4%, cervical cancer 8%, liver 6.6% and lip, oral cavity cancer 6.4% deaths.
The two most common cancers among men in the Region – oral and lung cancers – are linked to tobacco use, betel nut chewing and smoking, and are thus, preventable.
Preventing and treating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, has been a flagship priority in the Region since 2014. Countries have been making concerted efforts for improving essential NCD services. Cancer preventive measures include hepatitis B vaccination; screening for cervical cancer; HPV vaccination; promoting physical activity and healthy diets; taxing tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks; and controlling tobacco – the leading cause of oral cancer and lung cancers and premature death.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in terms of the number of cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region. In August 2020, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution calling for the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. The strategy calls on countries to reach an incidence of fewer than 4 cases per 100 000 women. Nine of the 11 Member countries of the Region have population-based cervical cancer screening programs. A few countries have introduced HPV vaccination for adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer.
We must scale up efforts to save lives and improve the quality of life of people living with cancer,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh.
One of the key strategies to combat NCDs such as cancer has been to strengthen access to primary health care and referral systems for early detection and treatment.
In 2016 countries in the Region adopted the Colombo declaration to strengthen health systems to accelerate delivery of NCD services at the primary care level.
Last year, WHO launched new tools to help countries build effective childhood cancer programmes with the aim to reach at least 60% survival rate for children with cancers by 2030, reduce suffering, and save an additional one million lives. Globally, an estimated 400 000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year.
‘Close the care gap’ was the theme of this year’s World Cancer Day. This day is observed on February 4. This theme is especially relevant with the pandemic having exacerbated inequalities making it harder for many to adopt healthier behaviour or access preventive, diagnostic and treatment services.
“As countries build back and reprioritize public spending, we have an opportunity to focus on providing equitable access to tools for early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care to ensure a fairer future where everyone can live happier, healthier lives leaving no one behind,” the Regional Director said.
India registers 313 new Covid cases, active cases reach 2,041, 3 deaths recorded in last 24 hours
The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a rise in the hospitalization and mortality.
Published
11 months ago
on
January 20, 2024
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India saw a single-day rise of 313 new Covid cases, while the active caseload has declined to 2,041, the health ministry said on Saturday. Three deaths: two from Karnataka and one from Maharashtra were reported in the last 24 hours.
According to the ministry website, the number of active cases in the country stood at 2,331 on Friday. The number of cases of Covid had dropped to double digits till December 5, but it began to start increasing after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.
According to reports after December 5, the highest single day rise of 841new cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2% of the peak cases reported in May 2021. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92%) are recovering under home isolation.
The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a rise in the hospitalization and mortality. India has witnessed three waves of Covid in the past with its peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the delta wave in April June 2021.
At its peak, 414,188 new cases and 3915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic started in early 2020, there have have been 4.5 crore people who have got infected and this has resulted in the death of 5.3 lakh persons in a total time span of four years.
According to the ministry data, the total number of persons who have recuperated from the disease are 4.4 crore with total recovery rate recorded is 98.81%. A total number of 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccines have been administered in India so far.
India registers 605 new COVID-19 cases and 4 deaths in last 24 hours
The number of people who have recovered from the disease has gone up to 4,44,81,341, an increase of 648 since Sunday morning. In Kerala a 70 year-old male with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 81year-old male with T2DM and HTN, and in Karnataka, a 48 year old male with CA and TB died, while one person in Tripura succumbed to COVID.
Published
11 months ago
on
January 8, 2024
By
India recorded 605 fresh COVID-19 cases and four deaths in the last 24 hours. The active cases have increased to 4002, while India’s overall COVID case tally stands at over 4.5 crore (4,50,18,792). The death toll was recorded at 5,33,396 with four new deaths – two from Kerala and one each in Karnataka and Tripura – reported in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8am stated.
The number of people who have recovered from the disease has gone up to 4,44,81,341, an increase of 648 since Sunday morning. In Kerala a 70 year-old male with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 81year-old male with T2DM and HTN, and in Karnataka, a 48 year old male with CA and TB died, while one person in Tripura succumbed to COVID.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reported that 11,838 doses of the vaccine had been administered in the country till January 7. The data is a compilation of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (National Centre for Disease Control), media bulletins and websites of various states at 8am on January 4.
As the winter season sets in, health experts are highlighting a sudden surge in viral infections, influenza, and COVID-19 cases. Dr Nikhil Modi, a senior pulmonologist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, pointed out that the decrease in temperature leads to increase in moisture in the air, low wind speed and also causes an increase in pollution levels. This contributes highly to various infections.
Due to the decrease in temperature the fog combines with the pollution in the air which further leads to the formation of smog. This condition of the atmosphere can cause different types of infections and difficulty in breathing. Both the state and the central government are keeping a close watch on the new Omicron Subvariant JN.1. J.N.1 is a Variant of Interest (VOI) which is under intense scientific scrutiny.
India records 774 new Covid-19 cases, 2 deaths in 24 hours
The number of daily cases was in double digits till December 5 but it started to rise again amid cold weather conditions and after the emergence of new Covid-19 variant, JN.1.
Published
11 months ago
on
January 6, 2024
By
India on Saturday had a single-day rise of 774 Covid cases while the number of active cases stood at 4,187, the Union health ministry said. As many as two deaths – one each from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat were reported in a span of 24 hours. Of the 4,187 active cases, the majority (over 92%) are recovering under home isolation.
The number of daily cases was in double digits till December 5 but it started to rise again amid cold weather conditions and after the emergence of new Covid-19 variant, JN.1. The central government has asked the state government and union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an upward trend in the number of Covid-cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub variant in the country.
According to reports after December 5, the highest single-day rise of 841 cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which was 0.2% of the peak cases reported in May 2021. A health official said that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in new cases nor a surge in hospitalisation and mortality in the country.
The Karnataka government has made the Covid test mandatory for those with Influenza like illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI). Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said more than 7000 tests are being done every day and the COVID positivity rate is 3.82%. The positivity rate in the state has not come down yet.
He said those with symptoms are being monitored and tested. Those who are in isolation at home have been told to take extra care. He added it is expected that the trend of decreasing Covid cases may start next week in Karnataka. India has witnessed three waves of Covid-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave during April-June 2021. At its peak 4,14,188 cases and 3915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021.
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